Mobile or transportable power supply and distribution systems are needed for various types of work that require electrical power for use in a field or outdoor environment. By way of example, construction and environmental remediation projects often require such a system to power tools, lights, and other devices. For many projects this need is met by either running a power line from the nearest available power source (referred to herein as “shore power”) or through the use of a generator. Various generators are commercially available for this purpose and range in size from small units that can be lifted by a single person and carried to a work site to trailer or skid-mounted generators that can power a large prdject site with multiple loads or power uses running off of the electrical power so provided.
While generators provide a source of electrical power in a field environment, the limited number and type of electrical outlets on the generator and the preset configuration of a given generator are in some applications insufficient for the operation. In addition, some applications require redundancy in power supply sources for safety purposes or other reasons. That is, at least two independent sources of electrical power are needed for these types of projects or operations. This requirement could be met through a combination of a generator and shore power, or the use of two generators. An automatic transfer switch is preferably used between the two power sources to automatically transfer loads from the primary power supply to the second power supply in the event that the former shuts down for any reason. Given these operational requirements, a power distribution system is needed to link the two power sources and provide the desired arrangement of outlets, switches, and the like.
Prior art power distribution systems are available for use in conjunction with a generator to provide a plurality of electrical outlets, switches, and the automatic transfer function described above. These systems, however, are generally designed for a particular type of application and are not as versatile and mobile as needed for other applications. Accordingly, what is needed is a mobile power distribution system that can be used for automatic switching between a primary and secondary power source, where at least one of the power sources is a generator, and the entire system can be transported fully assembled within a standard 20-foot intermodal (ISO) shipping container.